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Thursday, January 29, 2015

Suicide Forest by Jeremy Bates Book Review

Title: Suicide Forest

Author: Jeremy Bates

Publisher: Ghillinnein Books

Pages: 350

Genre: Thriller/Suspense

Format: Paperback/Kindle

Just outside of Tokyo lies Aokigahara, a vast forest and one of the most beautiful wilderness areas in Japan...and also the most infamous spot to commit suicide in the world. Legend has it that the spirits of those many suicides are still roaming, haunting deep in the ancient woods.

When bad weather prevents a group of friends from climbing neighboring Mt. Fuji, they decide to spend the night camping in Aokigahara. But they get more than they bargained for when one of them is found hanged in the morning—and they realize there might be some truth to the legends after all.

My Review

When I heard the premise of this book, I was fascinated. In fact I was so fascinated that I Googled Suicide Forest and watched a video on Youtube following someone through parts of it as they narrated the details and what was said about it. Creepy, to say the least.

So, when I picked up Suicide Forest by Jeremy Bates, I had a feeling I was in for a page turner. And boy, was I right. This book follows a group of seven, who decide to go camping in Japan's Aokigahara Jukai, a dense forest located at the base of Mount Fuji (look this up online, it is absolutely beautiful). Even though signs are posted urging people not to enter the forest, they decide to enter, thinking this might be some fun. The forest is called Suicide Forest for a reason - it is said to have a lure, calling people to its depths where many take their lives.

Because of how dense the forest is, it is easy to become disoriented, and each person on the 'adventure' begins to experience some anxiety over the fact that not only is the sunlight unable to penetrate the trees, but there is literally no sound in the forest. Where is the wildlife? As they make their way deeper into the forest they encounter a group of trees which causes them to separate and explore different areas of the forest. This is when things really pick up.

The things that are seen through the forest are enough to raise the hair on your head, especially when you consider that this is a real place, and the author is relying on details to weave this frightening tale, a tale that will leave you wanting more, yet hoping that the terror ends soon.

Not only is the plot of the book enough to intrigue you and keep you reading, the character development is some of the best that I have read. I would highly recommend this book and am proud to say that it the first 5 star review I have written in some time. Great job Jeremy!

Jeremy Bates is the author of the #1 Amazon bestseller White Lies, which was nominated for the 2012 Foreword Book of the Year Award. He has spent the last ten years traveling the world, visiting more than thirty countries. He has lived in Canada, the United States, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines. Bates is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario with a degree in English literature and philosophy. He is an active member of Horror Writers Association, Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, Inc., and Crime Writers of Canada.